The Academic Program

The Graduate Certificate in International Cultural Studies offers an interdisciplinary course of study that enhances existing degrees in Arts and Sciences, area studies, and the professional schools.

Given that the language of culture is increasingly heard in debates about issues as diverse as nationalism, human rights, immigration, trade, the environment, education, media, and the arts, the certificate program develops tools for a more informed and critical understanding of the role of culture in public debates and policy.

Hawai'i's location at the intersection of local, U.S., and Asian spheres of influence provides an important vantage point from which to take up the social and cultural transformations taking place in today's era of economic globalization and restructuring. Issues of cultural identity and politics are sharply drawn in the distinctive mix of indigenous, local and international communities in Hawai'i today. Program courses and activities support a variety of approaches to analyzing and understanding the significance of culture, and of cultural difference, as global flows of people, culture, and capital increase the heterogeneity and flux of everyday life throughout the world.

The certificate program brings together faculty whose research and teaching focus on the politics and production of culture in the context of local, national, and international relations. Faculty research methods and styles emphasize the interpretive approaches of the humanities and social sciences.

Certificate Requirements

The certificate program combines course work with directed research and, where possible, community involvement.

A core of three courses (7 credits), including:

CUL 609 Faculty Seminar Series

CUL 610 International Cultural Studies: History and Theory

CUL 750 International Cultural Studies: Research Project. The Capstone Experience is an individual research project supervised by a participating faculty member.

Three electives (9 credits), including two taken outside the student's department and no more than one undergraduate course.

The Academic Program

Marine biological studies at UH Manoa have a long history of excellent research and graduate training in the internationally recognized graduate programs in oceanography, zoology, botany, and microbiology. The School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology and the College of Natural Sciences together sponsor a new graduate program that offers PhD and MS degrees in marine biology. This program takes advantage of the 46 faculty members at the university whose research interests span the study of marine organisms, ecosystems, biogeochemical processes, reefs, oceanic fisheries, and human/marine interactions. It also offers research and internship opportunities with partners at state and federal agencies such as NOAA's Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources, and the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

The faculty and students in this program have access to one of the largest coral reef habitats in the U.S. including the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, the main Hawaiian Islands, and the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands. The unique location of the Hawaiian Archipelago in the central North Pacific Ocean makes it one of the most remote locations in the world allowing the processes that govern the marine environment to be studied with minimal anthropogenic influence. The program emphasizes scientific training in marine biology as a high demand occupation for the future.

The goal of the program is to produce scientists who are experts in their research areas with a broad-based understanding of the biology, ecology, evolution, and life processes of marine organisms. This program also addresses the growing need, locally and globally, for technically trained scientists, managers, and policy makers who are needed to understand the many processes that govern tropical marine ecosystems. Sound management of marine resources is becoming critical as these resources come under mounting pressure for exploitation from human populations and increasing stress from global climate change.

Application Requirements

Program Requirements

The student will either be admitted to the MS or PhD program, then advance to a track upon completion of the first year of core courses. Students who fail to pass the core courses will be dismissed from the program.

Master's Degree

Only a thesis (Plan A) program is available. In addition to the thesis, a minimum of 30 credits is required, including at least 18 credits of coursework and Thesis (700) work and completion of the core courses with a grade of B or above.

Doctoral Degree

Applicants can be admitted with or without having completed a master's degree. In addition to the Graduate Education's requirements for doctoral candidates, students in the PhD track will need to complete the core courses with a grade of B or above, and complete additional relevant coursework as indicated by the dissertation committee. Students entering without a MS degree will be required to take a minimum of 30 graduate course credits, including at least 18 credits of formal coursework and Dissertation (800). All PhD candidates will be required to demonstrate teaching experience (e.g. Teaching Assistantship) during at least one semester of graduate study.

Course Requirements

Students must pass with a B or better.

Please check the program's website for the most up to date requirements, course offerings, and admission information at www.hawaii.edu/mbiograd.

Peace Studies

Degrees and Certificates Offered:Undergraduate Certificate in Peace Studies, BA in interdisciplinary studies (emphasis on peace studies). See the "Undergraduate Education" section for more information.

Resource Management

The Academic Program

The Graduate Resource Management Certificate is a cooperative program primarily involving the College of Social Sciences, Department of Urban and Regional Planning (anthropology, economics, geography), College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (natural resources and environmental management), and East-West Center (Program on Environment, Program on Resources: Energy and Minerals). Because of its diverse topical components, multidisciplinary faculty, and practical application throughout Asia and the Pacific, the program is ideal for students who are pursuing graduate studies in traditional disciplines and also seeking expertise in environmental resource management.

This program provides students with specialized training in an area that augments their primary field and develops their pragmatic problem-solving and decision-making skills through analysis of real-world problems. Any student who has previously been admitted as a classified graduate student at UH Manoa is eligible to apply for admission to this certificate program. Interested applicants should contact their advisor or any representative of the program in the collaborating departments and institutions.

Please note: This Catalog was prepared to
provide information and does not constitute a contract. The University
reserves the right to change or delete, supplement or otherwise amend
at any time and without prior notice the information, requirements and
policies contained in this Catalog.